Steelers Met With Michigan Defensive Tackle Mike Martin At Combine

A few more names are now surfacing of players that met with the Pittsburgh Steelers at the 2012 NFL combine last week and one of those player was University of Michigan defensive tackle Mike Martin. Martin talked about the meeting with head coach Mike Tomlinduring an interview onWBBL radio in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Martin said he had a lot of conversation with a lot of teams while in Indianapolis, but said the one that stuck out the most was the one he had with the Steelers. Martin told The Huge Show, “You know I had a lot of conversations with a lot of teams. I had a lot of formal interviews, but the meeting that I really enjoyed a lot was the one I had with the Pittsburgh Steelers and talking with Tomlin. We spoke and he\’s a great guy and we really enjoyed our conversation. So we will just have to see what happens.”

Martin was asked if he had heard from Steelers linebacker LaMarr Woodley, a former Michigan player himself, since the meeting with the Steelers and was asked how great it would be for him to play along side him in Pittsburgh. Martin replied, “Oh man that would be awesome. Me and him actually see each other on a daily basis because he works out at the same training facility. So he put in a good word with Coach Tomlin for me and told those guys I was ready to play, so we\’ll just have to see.”

Martin measured in at the combine at 6013 and weighed 306 pounds.He ran a 4.88 40-yard dash and put up 36 reps of 225 pounds. He ran the 20 yard shuttle 4.25 seconds and the 3 cone drill in 7.19 seconds. Martin is regarded as an undersized nose tackle prospect and has not shown a strong ability to handle a double team when asked to. He may be better suited to play defensive tackle in a 4-3 system instead of over the ball in the 3-4.

Being FAT is not a pre-requisite to play NT in 3-4 defense..
seems many are enamoured by those over 325 to play NT…

Being strong IS a requirement for NT.

DSJ

Great Player,
Have seen him play in college and even in Highschool, very hard worker. Also great wrestler and even a dog walker at CC of detroit

Robhenderson

Exactly and I liked Hoke better the last 2yrs.

Bmor

“…and has not shown a strong ability to handle a double team when asked to.” ARE YOU KIDDING?! the guy was double teamed 98% of the time, for the past 4 years. He held off two players every time so that the rest of the d-line could make the star plays. get real.

uglybagofwater

THANK YOU. Everyone seems to think a 3-4 nose needs to look like Siragusa. Even Hampton grew into his current “Big Snack” persona. Martin has over 20 pounds on McClendon, who is the only other nose tackle on the Steelers’ roster, so this stuff about him being undersized is kind of laughable.

Pete

No, it’s not a prerequisite but it’s simple physics. Most of the dominant NT are big guys for a reason and they keep getting bigger as the guys opposite them get larger, Ngata, Wilfork, Raji are all at least 325. Even Hampton plays heavier than his supposed 325. That extra 30 pounds helps not only in making it harder to move you but to move the pocket. Virtually all offensive linemen weigh in at over 300 lbs. Patriots rookie Marcus Cannon is listed at 360! Strength and technique are important but so is size or they would remained under 300 has they were in the 70s. Mean Joe Greene, while not a NT was a DT and played around 275. Itty-bitty ain’t gonna cut it now and these guys are only going to continue to get bigger.